Waste shipping method using railroad flatcars

ABSTRACT

The waste shipping method using railroad flatcars includes producing or receiving a plurality of plastic wrapped bales of waste for transport. The wrapped bales of waste are loaded onto railway flatcars, preferably center beam flatcars, and secured thereto by ties or cables. The bales may be loaded horizontally or stacked vertically on the flatbed. A right angle corner protector, which may be made from high-density polyethylene or heavy-duty cardboard, prevents the securing cables from tearing the plastic wrap along the outside edges of the bales. The cables may be secured to the center beam and extend through holes formed in the corner protectors, and then secured to the bed or the side of the flatcar. Recyclable waste may be packaged and transported to recycling centers in this manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to waste management, and particularly to a waste shipping method using railroad flatcars for wrapped bundles of waste in order to maximize carrying load and economy thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

Modern daily life produces tons of wastes that must be disposed of in some manner, depending on the nature of the waste and the regulations associated therewith. For environmental reasons, conscientious consumers and waste disposal organizations employ recycling programs to maximize materials use from recyclables and lessen the environmental impact of such wastes. Harmful or hazardous wastes require specialized handling and processes that are financed or subsidized by the institution generating the waste and/or with the cooperation of the local municipality or national agency. A significant portion of municipal wastes are also prepared with plastic wrappings for easier transport and disposal.

Regardless of the type of waste being processed, all waste needs to be handled and transported in some manner. These transport solutions range from road vehicles and railcars to barges. Any commercial entity involved with the transport and processing of waste must consider maximizing profit margins in order to maintain financial health. This involves minimizing expenditures. In the case of transporting wastes via railcars, the conventional solution utilizes containers on flatcars or bulk railcars. Such railcars can carry tons of material, but a significant portion of the carry or transport capacity is reduced by the weight of the container walls on the railcar. For example, if the railcar has a carry/transport capacity of 100 tons, 5-15 tons of the capacity can be attributed to the weight of the container. In terms of mass transport, that is a large amount of capacity not being utilized for transporting the waste material, particularly considering the number of railcars being employed. The unused tare weight of the containers negatively impacts the cost-to-value ratio for the endeavor.

In addition to the above, a large number of railcars are underutilized, due mainly to economic reasons and excess inventory of certain railcars. For example, center partition railcars are designed primarily to transport lumber. Due to the current economic decline, and especially the decline in the rate of new houses in the real estate market, not many of these railcars are being deployed. However, there does not appear to be viable alternative options, resulting in many of these railcars languishing in holding stations or storage.

Thus, a waste shipping method using railroad flatcars solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The waste shipping method using railroad flatcars includes producing or receiving a plurality of plastic-wrapped bales of waste for disposal processing. The wrapped waste bales are loaded onto flat railcars in a stacked arrangement. The railcar is preferably an underutilized one, such as a center partition railcar. Compared to boxcar, gondola, or intermodal style railcars, the center partition railway flatcar increases the effective transport carry capacity or payload, since it does not include extraneous weight from additional steel walls and metal containers. The weight savings maximize cost/value ratio associated with transporting wrapped waste bales, since the effectively increased weight capacity directly translates to increased weight of waste bales carried by the railcar, resulting in significant savings.

These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a loaded railway flatcar practicing a waste shipping method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the loaded railway flatcar of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the loaded railway flatcar of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of plastic-wrapped bales of waste and the handling thereof.

FIG. 5A is an end view in section of bales of waste stacked vertically on a railway flatcar, showing the manner of securing the load in a waste shipping method using railroad flatcars according to the present invention.

FIG. 5B is an end view in section of bales of waste stacked horizontally on a railway flatcar, showing the manner of securing the load in a waste shipping method using the railroad flatcars according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the steps in a waste shipping method using railroad flatcars according to the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The waste shipping method using railroad flatcars provides a means for maximizing carrying capacity to thereby minimize expenses associated with transporting municipal solid waste, including recyclables. As best shown in FIG. 4, the waste shipping method includes preparing a plurality of bales 10 of waste wrapped in plastic. This reduces waste into a convenient form for transport. Additionally, the wrapping of the bales 10 provides a degree of protection from the elements during transport and handling. It is noted that the plastic adds negligible weight to each individual bale 10, compared to the overall weight of the waste. Each wrapped waste bale 10 is preferably a square, block shape, which is an easy shape to form and wrap. However, waste material may be packaged in other shapes, such as cylinders, rectangles, etc., so long as they are viable for transport and disposal. A typical example of waste is municipal solid waste, including recyclable waste, but it is to be understood that other types of waste that can be easily wrapped can also be transported by the present method, including baled and wrapped refuse derived fuels (RDF).

The wrapped waste bales 10 are then stacked onto a railway flatcar 20. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the railway flatcar 20 is a center-partition flatcar having front and back walls or bulkheads 22, 24, a central beam 26 extending longitudinally between the front wall 22 and the back wall 24, and a flatbed 28. The central beam 26 provides structural support for the walls 22, 24. A plurality of vertical supports 27 are disposed at regular intervals between the central beam 26 and the flatbed 28 to form a vertical, partition wall bisecting the railway flatcar 20 in the longitudinal direction. The spacing between each pair of vertical supports 27 can be provided with a truss-like structure to strengthen the vertical wall without significant increase in the weight of the railway flatcar 20. Other features, such as the wheels and the front and rear connector assemblies, have not been designated with reference numbers, since these are well known features of railcars in general.

The waste bales 10 are stacked on either side of the central beam 26 into a plurality of rows and columns. In most instances, the bales 10 will be stacked directly on top of each other. However, the manner in which the bales 10 are stacked can be changed, depending on the desired weight distribution and/or the number of bundles to be carried by the flat railcar 20, e.g., staggered, stepped, etc. The section views shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B show examples of horizontal and vertically stacked configurations. It is to be understood that the number of stacked rows depends on various factors, such as the dimensions of the bales 10, the dimensions of the railway flatcar 20, and/or the carry capacity of the railway flatcar 20. Thus, more than a single or double row of bales 10 can be carried by the railway flatcar 20 when optimized by the current method.

Rail transport of any load, especially the bales 10 of waste, requires securing the bales 10 in a manner that insures against accidental dislodging thereof during transport for public safety, as well as the safety of the rail system. Each column of bales 10 is secured to the flatbed 28 by ties 30 spanning a width section of stacked bales 10 between each lateral side of the flatbed 28. The ties 30 can be cables, straps, rope, and the like threaded through the vertical supports 27, over the central beam 26, or through the spacing between each pair of vertical supports 27. Each tie 30 can be tightened and secured to at least one side of the railway flatcar 20 by hardware (not shown). Some flatbed or center partition railway flatcars may not include the front and back walls 22, 24. In those situations, the ties 30 must also be secured in the longitudinal direction.

While the above may be sufficient to hold the wrapped bales 10, the type of forces experienced by the bales 10 during transport, as well as the tension from the ties 30 acting against the bales 10, can tear through the plastic wrapping. In order to prevent such mishaps, at least the top outer corner of the top row of wrapped waste bales 10 is provided with a corner protector 40. Each corner protector 40 includes a pair of sidewalls 42 disposed orthogonally, forming an angled bracket. The right-angled disposition of the corner protector 40 is most suited to conform to the shape of the block-shaped bale 10. However, other angles or curved sections can be used depending on the shape of the wrapped bale 10. Each sidewall 42 is preferably triangular in shape, which minimizes weight and materials. Alternative shapes can also be used to construct the sidewalls 42.

The sidewalls 42 meet at a reinforced juncture 44 that can be constructed as a robust, longitudinal bead. The reinforced juncture 44 can include a bore through which the associated tie 30 can be threaded during the securing process. Alternatively, the tie 30 can be placed over the reinforced juncture 44 when strapping the bales 10 onto the flatbed 28. Either configuration protects that portion of the bale 10 by preventing direct contact with the ties 30. In order to insure that the corner protector 40 stays in place, at least one of the sidewalls 42 can be provided with at least one tack 46 at a distal end thereof that can puncture the wrap and extend into the bale 10 to help secure the load. Alternatively, the tack 46 can be removed, especially if the tension from the ties 30 will be sufficient to insure that the corner protector 40 will remain in place during transport. The corner protector 40 is preferably made from high-density polyethylene, but can also be made of treated heavy-duty cardboard.

Referring to the block diagram shown in FIG. 6, the following describes the waste shipping method using railroad flatcars. Initially, a plurality of wrapped waste bales 10 is produced by forming a given supply of wastes into a desired shape, or is received from a waste management facility. As mentioned, the preferred shape is a square or rectangular parallelepiped block. Each bale 10 is then wrapped in plastic to maintain the form conducive for handling and transport, as exemplified by step 100. The wrapped waste bales 10 are temporarily stored in a holding area or warehouse in preparation for transport, as shown by step 102.

In step 104, the wrapped waste bales 10 are loaded onto railway flatcars 20. In some instances, the bales 10 can also be loaded onto flatbed trucks, or even barges, but the current method relates to railcar transport.

As referenced by step 106, once the wrapped bales 10 have been stacked onto the railway flatcar 20, the stacked bales 10 are secured to the railway flatcar 20 by the ties 30 and the corner protectors 40, the corner protectors 40 being pinned onto a respective wrapped waste bale 10 for those that include the at least one tack 46. As a further alternative, commercially available corner protectors can also be used in place of the corner protectors 40, so long as they provide sufficient protection. These can include cardboard, steel, plastic or wood constructed as elongate, rectangular L-shaped brackets. After the wrapped waste bales 10 are secured, they are transported to the waste processing site as shown in step 108.

It is noted that the waste shipping method using railroad flatcars encompasses a variety of alternatives. For example, though the above description specifically utilizes center partition railcars 20, the method can be practiced using other non-container-type railcars, such as a flatbed railcar. Such railcars do not include a center partition, which further increases the effective weight carrying capacity. The flatbed railcar may cost more due to their higher demand and use, but any mitigation in cost savings can still be insignificant, compared to the overall cost savings from conventional methods. Moreover, the corner protectors 40 can be constructed from various materials, such as wood, cardboard, plastic, metal, composites and combinations thereof, so long as they can withstand the rigors of use.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. 

We claim:
 1. A waste shipping method using railroad flatcars, comprising the steps of: packaging waste into a plurality of bales; wrapping each of the bales of waste in plastic, forming a wrapped bale of waste; providing at least one railway flatcar for transporting the wrapped waste bales, the at least one railway flatcar having a flatbed and an effective carrying weight capacity greater than a container railcar; loading the wrapped waste bales onto the at least one railway flatcar in at least one stack; placing at least one corner protector onto an outer corner of at least one of the loaded bales to form at least one protected bale; wrapping at least one tie around the at least corner protector and the at least one protected bale; securing the at least one tie to a side of the at least one railway flatcar to secure the bales to the at least one railway flatcar; and transporting the loaded wrapped waste bales to a waste disposal processing site.
 2. The waste shipping method according to claim 1, wherein each said bale is substantially a rectangular parallelepiped block.
 3. The waste shipping method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one railway flatcar comprises a center beam flatcar having an elevated central beam and a plurality of spaced vertical supports disposed between the central beam and said flatbed, the central beam and the vertical supports forming a vertical partition wall longitudinally bisecting said flatbed.
 4. The waste shipping method according to claim 3, wherein said center beam flatcar further comprises a front bulkhead and a back bulkhead, the center beam extending between the bulkheads.
 5. The waste shipping method according to claim 3, wherein said at least one tie is secured to said partition wall.
 6. The waste shipping method according to claim 3, wherein said step of loading the wrapped waste bales comprises loading the bales so that the bales extend in horizontal rows on the flatbed, each of the horizontal rows having an end, each of the horizontal rows being secured to the partition wall by the at least one tie, the at least one tie extending over the at least one corner protector at the end of the horizontal row.
 7. The waste shipping method according to claim 3, wherein said step of loading the wrapped waste bales comprises loading the bales so that the bales are stacked vertically on the flatbed, each of the vertical stacks having a topmost bale having an outer edge, each of the vertical stacks being secured to the partition wall by the at least one tie, the at least one tie extending over the at least one corner protector at the outer edge of the topmost stack.
 8. The waste shipping method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one corner protector comprises an angled bracket.
 9. The waste shipping method according to claim 8, wherein said angled bracket comprises an L-shaped bracket having a pair of orthogonally disposed sidewalls, the sidewalls meeting at a reinforced juncture, the at least one tie extending over the reinforced juncture.
 10. The waste shipping method according to claim 9, wherein each said sidewall is triangular.
 11. The waste shipping method according to claim 9, wherein said reinforced juncture has a hole defined therein, the at least one tie being threaded through the hole in the reinforced juncture.
 12. The waste shipping method according to claim 9, wherein said at least one corner protector has at least one tack at a distal end of at least one of said sidewalls, the step of placing at least one corner protector further comprising piercing the plastic wrap with the tack and securing the tack in said bale.
 13. The waste shipping method according to claim 9, wherein said waste comprises recyclable waste.
 14. A method of transporting waste, comprising the steps of: receiving bales of waste, each of the bales being packaged in a plastic wrapper; loading the bales onto a railway flatcar; and securing the bales to the flatcar with cables extending over the bales.
 15. The method of transporting waste according to claim 14, wherein the railway flatcar comprises a center beam flatcar.
 16. The method of transporting waste according to claim 14, where said securing step further comprises the step of interposing a corner protector between each said cable and a corner edge of the bales wherever said cables contact the bales.
 17. The method of transporting waste according to claim 16, wherein each said corner protector has a hole defined therein, said cables extending through the holes defined in said corner protectors.
 18. The method of transporting waste according to claim 16, wherein each said corner protector is made from high-density polyethylene.
 19. The method of transporting waste according to claim 16, further comprising the step of securing said corner protectors to said bales so that said corner protectors remain in place on the bales.
 20. The method of transporting waste according to claim 14, wherein said waste is recyclable waste, the method further comprising the step of transporting the bales on the railway flatcar to a recycling center for recycling the waste. 